Baby Soft Crib

ABSTRACT

A crib design with built-in padded, protective coverings for the rails (spindles), endwalls, and exposed connecting crib frame designed to avoid injury to babies from hard cribs and dangerous bumpers. The protective padding is sewn around the frame of the individual rails, endwalls, and connectors to create permanent, anchored breathable bumpers without hazardous zippers, ties, or velcro. The outer layer of the padding wipes clean, and can be manufactured in any color or pattern. The enhanced safety features of this crib make it safer than traditional cribs, cribs with traditional bumpers, or cribs with attached vertical bumpers. This invention provides a built-in element of safety from the moment the child is born and eliminates the need for any additional safety mechanisms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to the field of cribs, crib bumpers, and the use of protective padding around a child's crib to provide built-in safety features. The invention pertains to a crib design with built-in padded, protective coverings for the rails (interchangeably, spindles), endwalls, and connecting crib frame to avoid injury to babies from hard cribs and dangerous bumpers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a crib design with built-in padded, protective coverings for the rails (spindles), endwalls, and connecting crib frame to avoid injuries. The design eliminates the need for dangerous traditional bumpers and detachable wraparounds that put babies at risk for SIDS and strangulation. The protective padding of the present invention is sewn around the crib frame such that it is a permanent fixture of the crib. The padding is made of a wipeable material (in its best use embodiment, an environmentally friendly PVC/Phthalate Free vinyl material) to permit easy cleaning, and filled with soft cushioning.

This invention has a similar usage to traditional bumpers in that both aim to prevent injury caused when babies or toddlers bump into the hard spindles and sides of a crib. However, this invention differs greatly from the prior art. Traditional padded bumpers and detachable vertical bumpers that need to be attached by Velcro, zippers, or ties are dangerous because a baby can climb on the padding, strangle himself on the ties, or remove the entire layer of protection by pulling on the Velcro, zippers, or ties. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released guidelines stating that bumper pads should not be used at all since they carry a potential risk of suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment because infants lack the motor skills or strength to turn their heads should they roll into something that obstructs their breathing. This invention eliminates these hazards by building the bumper pads into the structured frame of the crib such that a baby cannot remove the padding, cannot use the padding to climb on, and cannot strangle him/herself on any tying mechanisms. By covering only the spindles and attached frame, and not the open airways between (unlike traditional bumper pads), this invention allows a baby to breathe even if he rolls into the side of the crib. This invention is also distinguishable from padding that zips, Velcros, or ties around the individual rails of a crib, as those designs permit babies and toddlers to push down on the padded mechanism, creating a foothold from which to propel themselves out of a crib, and permit babies and toddlers to unzip and untie the pads, removing the safety mechanism itself.

Because the padding in the present invention is built-in, it avoids these hazards. This new design provides important safety features not offered by any traditional hard wooden cribs. It also reduces the need for buying additional padding after the initial purchase of the crib, and is aesthetically pleasing with a sleek design that can come in multiple colors and prints. Because the soft, cushioning filler and exterior material can be molded to any shape of wood frame, it allows for limitless crib design choices for consumers. The design also allows the mattress to be removed more easily than cribs with traditional bumpers or removable wrap-around bumpers in order to change sheets. The design also makes it easier to clean the crib than with bumpers that need to be removed and washed as this invention can be wiped clean with a soapy cloth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative representation of the entire crib with preferred embodiment of 2 long equal sides consisting of padded covered wood spindles (rails) and 2 short equal sides (endwalls) of padded covered solid wood, with padded covered solid wood frame surrounding and connecting all spindles.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative representation of an alternate version of the short crib sides with covered padded spindled ends instead of covered padded solid ends.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative representation of a spindle with inner wood frame A, layer of cotton (or other filler) B, and outer wipeable material (such as vinyl) C.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative representation of a cross-section of the representative spindle with inner wood frame D, layer of cotton (or other filler) E, and outer wipeable material (such as vinyl) F.

FIG. 5 is an illustrative representation of a cross-section of the short sides of the padded covered solid wood endwalls and the padded covered solid wood frame surrounding and connecting the spindles, with solid wood center G, layer of cotton (or other filler) H, and outer wipeable material (such as vinyl) I.

Note: The entirety of all surfaces is covered (as described above) on the actual crib. The shading in the illustration represents the padding that covers the surface, however for visual clarity in the drawings, not all spindles/wooden surfaces are shown with shading.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have found no prior art similar to this invention in which the crib itself functions as its own safety device against bumps and bruises. Regarding bumpers, the inventors found several patents that concern wrapping individual spindles with bumpers: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,071, 6,742,751, 7,895,691, and 8,341,785, herein known as the “prior art.” These patents, though responding to similar concerns, are inefficient, expensive, and create safety hazards that the present design solves.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 (2013) and 7,895,691 (2011), the most recent patents, attempt to address deficiencies overlooked by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,742,751 (2004) and 5,437,071 (1995), which the present invention does as well; however, the earlier patents will not be addressed to such degree in this document because the inventors seek to address the disadvantages of the more recent patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 and 7,895,691. Although the present invention fully compensates for the many deficiencies of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,742,751 (2004), 5,437,071 (1995) and others, it is unnecessary to repeat such deficiencies, if U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785, 7,895,691, and others are reviewed. The unique design and advantages of the present invention resolve all deficiencies of these patents and others. In addition, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an unprecedented design to provide parents with the greatest level of safety while minimizing exposure to hazardous chemicals inherent in treated wood cribs.

The most distinguishing component of U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 and 7,895,691 is their biggest flaw: flexibility. The design of those patents is meant to enable the removable spindle length bumpers to be utilized in cribs of varying spindle length and width. However, their flexibility contributes to the safety problem it attempts to solve. The spindle bumpers are easily collapsible when a baby or toddler pushes down in it, creating a means by which a child may boost himself out of the crib. U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 and 7,895,691 claim to solve this problem, however, the inventors of the present invention have witnessed multiple instances of toddlers achieving this very feat with the inventions marketed under U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 and 7,895,691. Additionally, because they are detachable, as are all other prior art “bumpers,” a growing baby/toddler can easily remove the bumpers by pulling on the enclosing devices, whether it be a zipper, tie, or Velcro, thereby removing the safety feature all together or rendering it unsafe. Ties, once undone, create a strangulation hazard. Both Velcro and zippers are enticing to young children who view them as toys. Zipper pulls, should they become detached from the sliders, pose as choking hazards. Accordingly, any form of detachable bumper is inherently unsafe.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,341,785 and 7,895,691 mostly aim at creating flexibility in design to accommodate cribs of varying rail lengths and widths (unlike U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,751 which does not accommodate various crib shapes and sizes). The current invention addresses this concern and enables all crib types and sizes to be enveloped in built-in padding while making the safety features part and parcel of the crib design itself. The present invention's inner padding is soft enough to substantially add a protective barrier between a child's body and the hard consistency of the traditional wooden crib rails, and accommodates any crib size and design. The current invention would also apply to cribs made of different materials, such as metal, aluminum, or any other hard, durable material used for crib construction, as the padding can easily be sewn around such other materials. The present invention is unlike U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,751 because the rigid padding associated with that patent must be added to a crib's spindles, does not accommodate all crib types and sizes, and does not cover all exposed parts of a crib, like endwalls and the connecting wood frame. Without the permanent, built-in safety features of the present invention, cribs plus external bumpers are inherently unsafe. The current invention's ability to accommodate all crib designs and eliminate external hazards gives parents the utmost protection for their sleeping children and warrants the recognition of being a unique and unprecedented idea.

The fabric wrap of the present invention also creates optionality because the wraps can be offered in different colors, designs, and fabric types. The preferred embodiment, a wipeable wrap, is also unforeseen in the prior art. Instead of detaching soiled and dirty bumpers to wash, allowing the crib to be unprotected for hours while the bumpers dry, the current design simply wipes clean with soap and water in seconds, allowing the safety features to remain intact. Moreover, the majority of wood cribs are treated with chemicals, painted, and emit toxins. The external wraps of the current design permit manufacturers to forego the wood treatment process altogether since the wraps cover the internal frame. The resulting wood frame would be both cheaper to manufacture and free of hazardous chemicals that would otherwise be released into the baby's immediate environment. The ability to eliminate such hazards while providing protection to babies warrants the recognition of being a unique and unprecedented idea.

The present invention provides a greater level of protection than is currently available in the marketplace and resolves the deficiencies of the conventional bumper. The sale of conventional bumpers is prohibited in some states and legislation to prohibit such sales is pending in others based on the safety concerns of bumpers described above as well as the risk of SIDs. Unlike conventional bumpers, the present invention allows air to circulate between the crib rails, thus reducing any unnecessary risk of SIDs. The present invention addresses the problems and disadvantages of other conventional crib bumpers by providing a safer, more practical, and longer lasting alternative. The current invention also enables babies to see their environment through the crib rails, unlike conventional bumpers.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises of a basic untreated wood framed crib with spindles (no more than 2 ⅜ inches apart), with each spindle wrapped in a soft filler (cotton, foam, or other filler), and surrounded by a sleek wipeable fabric like vinyl or faux leather. The preferred embodiment would use non-toxic materials (such as PVC free and phthalate free materials) to avoid chemical exposure to young children. No wood on the crib would be exposed, with the padding to also surround the endwalls of the crib (if the spindles do not surround all four sides) and connecting frame slats. This would add an extra layer of protection because not only would the child be protected from injury inside the crib, the invention would eliminate the need for teething crib protectors for the connecting wood slats, and would also provide a layer of protection from bumps and hard corners outside the crib when the child is crawling and learning to walk. This invention provides a built-in element of safety from the moment the child is born and eliminates the need for any additional safety mechanisms. 

1. A crib frame with built-in padded components, comprising: individual vertical crib spindles wrapped in a soft cushioning filler, and surrounded 360° by fabric sewn together around the spindles for the entire length of the spindles.
 2. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the soft cushioning filler is any form of compressible soft material.
 3. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the soft cushioning filler is cotton.
 4. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the soft cushioning filler is foam.
 5. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the soft cushioning filler has a substantially uniform thickness.
 6. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a cloth-wipeable material.
 7. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is leather.
 8. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a leather substitute.
 9. The individual vertical spindles of claim 1, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is vinyl.
 10. The individual spindles of claim 1, wherein the surrounding sewn fabric is made from non-toxic materials (such as PVC free and phthalate free materials).
 11. A crib frame with built-in padded components, comprising: individual vertical crib spindles wrapped in a soft cushioning filler, and surrounded 360° by fabric sewn together around the spindles for the entire length of the spindles, wherein the individual vertical spindles run the length of the sidewalls of the crib frame, and further comprising a pair of solid crib endwalls wrapped in a soft cushioning filler, and surrounded by fabric sewn together around the endwalls for the entire length and width of the endwalls.
 12. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the soft cushioning filler is any form of compressible soft material.
 13. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the soft cushioning filler is cotton.
 14. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the soft cushioning filler is foam.
 15. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the soft cushioning filler has a substantially uniform thickness.
 16. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a cloth-wipeable material.
 17. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is leather.
 18. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a leather substitute.
 19. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is vinyl.
 20. The solid crib endwalls of claim 11, wherein the surrounding sewn fabric is made from non-toxic materials (such as PVC free and phthalate free materials).
 21. A crib frame with built-in padded components, comprising a solid frame connecting any spindles and/or endwalls, wherein the connecting frame is wrapped in a soft cushioning filler, and surrounded by fabric sewn together around the connecting frame for the entire length and width of the connecting frame.
 22. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the soft cushioning filler is any form of compressible soft material.
 23. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the soft cushioning filler is cotton.
 24. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the soft cushioning filler is foam.
 25. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the soft cushioning filler has a substantially uniform thickness.
 26. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a cloth-wipeable material.
 27. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is leather.
 28. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is a leather substitute.
 29. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the fabric sewn around the soft filler is vinyl.
 30. The connecting frame of claim 21, wherein the surrounding sewn fabric is made from non-toxic materials (such as PVC free and phthalate free materials). 